The Unexpected Path

Chapter 25 - Lucas

I don't know how long I've been sitting on the floor. Probably not that long. But it feels like a goddamn lifetime because time seems to have slowed down from the second those fucking words left Olivia's mouth.

He tried to touch me.

And like a taunting echo, Lizzie's words aren't too far behind as they bounce around my head and laugh in my face.

I don't know what happened to her but she needed you.

Olivia needed me. Some fucker tried to get his hands on her. She needed me to protect her and I didn't. Just like I didn't protect him. Fucking damn it.

"Lucas," The soft-spoken words are accompanied by a flutter of warm air fanning my face. Olivia's forehead is still resting against mine and she's made no move to pull away. She should. She should stay away from me altogether, especially after what I did. "Lucas, it's okay. Please look at me."

"It's not okay," I keep my eyes closed. I try to move away from her but she just tightens her grip on my face. "Let me go, Olivia."

"No," Her voice is firm and leaves no room for arguments. "Lucas, come on. You need to say something."

"What the fuck can I say to make this right?" My eyes finally snap open. I have no idea which of the thousand fucking emotions I'm feeling is swimming in them but it's raw enough for Olivia to finally let go of me, swallowing hard at the sight. "There's nothing I can do to make this right. I should have been there. It's my fucking fault."

"It's not," She argues. "I didn't tell you. I didn't tell anyone. I wouldn't even admit it to myself, Lucas. I just ran away like a coward."

"Shut up," I mutter. No matter what she says it won't be enough to stop making me feel responsible. "Don't ever blame yourself. Especially not in front of me."

"Then you stop blaming yourself too. You couldn't have known."

"I could have protected you. I would have fucking killed the guy if I knew what he'd done. Where the fuck is he now?"

"I don't know," She admits. "I haven't looked back since I left."

"Well, who was he?"

"Some asshole from another school. He just happened to be at that party. Didn't even catch his name or anything."

"You're positive?" I ask. Because fuck if I'm not itching to hunt that son of a bitch down and choke him to death.

"Positive," She whispers. She licks her lips nervously and looks down. "Are you mad at me?"

My forehead wrinkles. "About?"

"Leaving you," She draws her knees up to her chin, still avoiding my gaze. "LA was in the works for a while. I was figuring out how to tell you about it and then...then we kissed. And I didn't want to leave anymore because I knew it was a four year commitment. And you're you, Lucas. Any girl could have snatched you up in that time and I'd have lost you. I thought I would talk to you about it first and see how you'd feel. I even wanted you to come with me, stupid as it sounds. So I tracked you down at that party. Then everything went south. You and I fought, that asshole got his hands on me, and it felt like I was drowning. LA suddenly seemed like a light at the end of the tunnel. In that moment I wanted the easy way out. I wanted to leave everything behind so I booked the ticket as soon as I got home, spun some bullshit to Mom and Dad about how I got the dates mixed up, packed and left."

The mention of her parents makes me realize something. "They didn't catch on?"

She knows why I'm asking. I can see the remorse on her face. "I put on one hell of a show, Lucas. I couldn't let them so much as suspect it. You know about Dad. You know he was sexually abused for years. He would have ripped the world apart if he found out the same thing happened to his daughter. And honestly, nothing even happened to me. I got away. Dad didn't get away from his rapist for years. What happened to me was nothing in comparison. It felt like I'd be disrespecting what happened to him if I was whining about a little groping."